POCKET ME NOT.READ ME ONLINE!www.travel3sixty.com

NOV 2016

ISSUE 112

AIRASIA INFLIGHT MAGAZINE

SOULFUL STREETS

Urban Art, Chiang Mai

t360 Nov2016_061016_A_tsy.indd A 13/10/2016 2:39 PM

T360_Nov_VPlus 2016-09-26T16:55:40+08:00

88

78THE FRENCH CONNECTIONPondicherry, India

88CLEVER CATCH Harvest from the Sea

98SOULFUL STREETSChiang Mai, Thailand

108MOULDED IN FIRE Camiguin, Philippines

118COCKPIT CHALLENGESPilot's Perspective

122IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTYTravel Log

Navigator

CONTENTSCHECK-IN NOVEMBER 2016

t360 Nov2016_101016_A_tsy.indd 1 13/10/2016 10:52 AM

www.travel3sixty.com WANDERLUST // PHILIPPINES

Through destruction and rebirth, the tiny Filipino island of Camiguin carries its fi ery history with pride,

as its spectacular volcanic activities have shaped the landscape, infl uenced the weather and changed

destinies over the centuries.

WORDS: SHARON CROWTHER PHOTOGRAPHY: JACOB MAENTZ

IN FIREMOULDED

108 NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 108 13/10/2016 10:41 AM

www.travel3sixty.com WANDERLUST // PHILIPPINES

Through destruction and rebirth, the tiny Filipino island of Camiguin carries its fi ery history with pride,

as its spectacular volcanic activities have shaped the landscape, infl uenced the weather and changed

destinies over the centuries.

WORDS: SHARON CROWTHER PHOTOGRAPHY: JACOB MAENTZ

IN FIREMOULDED

108 NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 108 13/10/2016 10:41 AM

IMA

GE:

GET

TY

Camiguin’s circumferential road is 64 kilometres long and winds along the island’s spectacular coastline.

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 109 13/10/2016 4:27 PM

LAVA IN THE VEINS “This isn't an easy

place to make an emergency landing,” says pi-

lot and founder of Camiguin Aviation, Captain

Sean Clarke, before our fl ight, “but not impos-

sible.” He is referring to Camiguin's steep volca-

nic contours, which fi rst attracted the aerobatic

pilot to the island, but Captain Clarke admits

the rugged landscape is also one of the biggest

challenges of fl ying here.

The second smallest island province in the

Philippines, just 23 kilometres long and 14 kilo-

metres wide, Camiguin is located in the Bohol

Sea, 10 kilometres off the northern coast of Min-

danao, the second largest island in the country.

Camiguin is a quiet isle and home to 70,000

locals who work predominantly as fi shermen

and farmers, but with more volcanoes per

square kilometre than any other island in the

world, this ‘Island Born of Fire’ – as it is popu-

larly called – is also a veritable topographical

wonder and a geological powerhouse. From as

far back as the locals can recall, the island's

seven volcanoes have shaped its silhouette,

altered its coastline and infused the history of

its people with tales of terrifying tremors and

devastating eruptions.

In 1871, the west coast barrio of Catarman,

along with the town of Old Catarman, was

entirely submerged by lava that spewed from

Mount Vulcan, situated in Camiguin’s north. The

town’s sunken cemetery, which is marked by a

white cross protruding 20 metres from the wa-

ter, is now a well-known dive spot. Today, only

Mount Hibok-Hibok in the neighbouring barrio

of Mambajao remains an active volcano, and

some of the oldest residents on the island still

remember its last eruptions in 1948 and 1951.

Despite Camiguin's scorching history, the

island's volcanic magnetism seems hard to re-

sist. Its population has never waned, with loyal

locals always returning to its shores after being

temporarily relocated to Mindanao for shelter

and medical care following eruptions.

And lately, newcomers have also fallen in

love with the charms of Camiguin, bringing new

business and tourism to the island, which is

now home to the only advanced fl ight manoeu-

vre camp in the Philippines, Camiguin Aviation.

FLYING BY INSTINCT “The island has this

incredible micro-climate,” says Captain Clarke,

a Canadian geophysicist turned aerobatic pi-

lot, who has set up home on the island with

his wife and young family. Interestingly, it is

his geophysics background that provides him

the valuable insight he has on volcanoes and

weather systems. “Hot air rises up from the

base of the volcanoes and turns into clouds.

Pockets of rain form here and there, but the

weather can change so quickly. The volcanoes

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 110 13/10/2016 10:41 AM

LAVA IN THE VEINS “This isn't an easy

place to make an emergency landing,” says pi-

lot and founder of Camiguin Aviation, Captain

Sean Clarke, before our fl ight, “but not impos-

sible.” He is referring to Camiguin's steep volca-

nic contours, which fi rst attracted the aerobatic

pilot to the island, but Captain Clarke admits

the rugged landscape is also one of the biggest

challenges of fl ying here.

The second smallest island province in the

Philippines, just 23 kilometres long and 14 kilo-

metres wide, Camiguin is located in the Bohol

Sea, 10 kilometres off the northern coast of Min-

danao, the second largest island in the country.

Camiguin is a quiet isle and home to 70,000

locals who work predominantly as fi shermen

and farmers, but with more volcanoes per

square kilometre than any other island in the

world, this ‘Island Born of Fire’ – as it is popu-

larly called – is also a veritable topographical

wonder and a geological powerhouse. From as

far back as the locals can recall, the island's

seven volcanoes have shaped its silhouette,

altered its coastline and infused the history of

its people with tales of terrifying tremors and

devastating eruptions.

In 1871, the west coast barrio of Catarman,

along with the town of Old Catarman, was

entirely submerged by lava that spewed from

Mount Vulcan, situated in Camiguin’s north. The

town’s sunken cemetery, which is marked by a

white cross protruding 20 metres from the wa-

ter, is now a well-known dive spot. Today, only

Mount Hibok-Hibok in the neighbouring barrio

of Mambajao remains an active volcano, and

some of the oldest residents on the island still

remember its last eruptions in 1948 and 1951.

Despite Camiguin's scorching history, the

island's volcanic magnetism seems hard to re-

sist. Its population has never waned, with loyal

locals always returning to its shores after being

temporarily relocated to Mindanao for shelter

and medical care following eruptions.

And lately, newcomers have also fallen in

love with the charms of Camiguin, bringing new

business and tourism to the island, which is

now home to the only advanced fl ight manoeu-

vre camp in the Philippines, Camiguin Aviation.

FLYING BY INSTINCT “The island has this

incredible micro-climate,” says Captain Clarke,

a Canadian geophysicist turned aerobatic pi-

lot, who has set up home on the island with

his wife and young family. Interestingly, it is

his geophysics background that provides him

the valuable insight he has on volcanoes and

weather systems. “Hot air rises up from the

base of the volcanoes and turns into clouds.

Pockets of rain form here and there, but the

weather can change so quickly. The volcanoes

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 110 13/10/2016 10:41 AM

make their own weather and we always fl y on

their terms.”

Established in 2007, Camiguin Aviation was

originally a facility offering pilots exposure to

aerobatic fl ight manoeuvres, and they recently

branched into adventure flights for tourists.

Captain Clarke explains some of the physics

behind aerobatic fl ight while we prepare for

takeoff. “An aeroplane is just like a paper plane:

if you let it go, it will fl y,” he says. “Aerobatics is

all about knowing when to give up control in

order to gain control. It's an exercise in trust

and feeling. It's about learning to let go. When

you start to fl y by feel, that's when you become

a good pilot.”

Camiguin is one of the few places in the

world where those who are able to hold their

nerves can experience a heart-stopping aero-

batic fl ight over volcanoes. If it isn’t for the fact

that Captain Clarke has been fl ying planes for

more than 20 years, I might be nervous. Before

every fl ight, he provides his passengers three

key items: a parachute, a life vest and a sick

bag. “You won't need the parachute or the life

vest,” he quips. “You might need the sick bag,

but let's hope not!”

WHERE ONLY EAGLES DARE On our

fl ight, we begin by skirting the island's coastline,

viewing its sea level sights from the air. The sea,

which was inky blue from the ground, is now

a vibrant aquamarine, and the canopy of lush

jungle framing the shoreline becomes a kalei-

doscope of green. It’s Camiguin in technicolour!

On Mantigue Island, a tiny tropical oasis

just a few minutes’ boat trip from Camiguin's

east coast, parasols pop with colour and day-

trippers turn their faces skywards and wave to

us. “Let's wave back,” says Captain Clarke, and

tilts the plane's wings from side to side! As we

head inland, Captain Clarke's canary yellow

plane spirals upwards, not unlike the crested

serpent eagles found in Camiguin and other

parts of Asia, which ride thermals of warm

air up the volcanic slopes. The eagles use the

air thermals to gain a better perspective from

which to hunt prey, and following their lead

gives us a spectacular bird’s eye view of the

island's volcanoes.

After gaining some height, Captain Clarke

asks how I'd feel about a Cuban Eight. For a sec-

ond, I think he might be offering me a cocktail.

He isn't, but as the aerobatics begin, I am both

shaken and stirred!

As we accelerate into the manoeuvre, which

involves making the fi gure eight in the sky, the

horizon flips, and with it, my world literally

turns upside down. Volcanoes and sea appear

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT

A 20-metre high white cross, one of the island’s most photographed sites, marks the location of Old Catarman’s sunken cemetery where snorkellers now enjoy exploring the headstones submerged beneath the Bohol Sea.

Captain Clarke, who moved to Camiguin from Canada with his family almost a decade ago, enjoys taking tourists on aerobatic fl ights high above the volcanic island he loves so much.

Camiguin Aviation also provides pilots and tourists comfortable accommodation in the aircraft hangar.

111NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 111 13/10/2016 4:28 PM

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Meet Camiguin’s volcanoes – the seven fi ery craters that have moulded the island’s history and continue to write its present, and future.

MT HIBOKHIBOK At 1,240 metres, this is Camiguin’s most popular hiking destination. It is the only active volcano on the island today and is part of the Pacifi c Ring of Fire.

MT MAMBAJAO This 1,552-metre high volcano takes its name from the words mamahaw (meaning to have breakfast) and bajao (meaning left-over boiled rice) in the Visayan language. Mambajao is also the name of Camiguin's capital and the island’s largest municipality.

MT GUINSILIBAN The southernmost volcano on the island, its name originates from the old Kinamiguin word ginsil-ipan that means ‘to watch for pirates’. Sharing the name of this 571-metre volcano, Guinsiliban town was the location of the fi rst Spanish settlement on Camiguin in 1598.

MT TIMPOONG Standing at 5,294 metres, this is the tallest of all of Camiguin’s volcanoes. Timpoong comprises multiple cinder cones and peaks.

MT VULCAN Despite being called The Old Volcano, this 671-metre volcano is actually the youngest on the island. During Holy Week, pilgrims hike to its summit to visit the Stations of the Cross, which depict the 14 events leading up to the crucifi xion of Jesus Christ.

MT BUTAY Also known as Mt Uhay, this volcano stands 679 metres tall. It is located between the towns of Guinsiliban and Mahinog.

MT TRES MARIAS This 731-metre volcano has a unique structure as it consists of three identical peaks, all of diff erent heights. It takes a two-hour hike to reach the highest peak, which opens into the Itom crater.

112 NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 112 13/10/2016 10:42 AM

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Meet Camiguin’s volcanoes – the seven fi ery craters that have moulded the island’s history and continue to write its present, and future.

MT HIBOKHIBOK At 1,240 metres, this is Camiguin’s most popular hiking destination. It is the only active volcano on the island today and is part of the Pacifi c Ring of Fire.

MT MAMBAJAO This 1,552-metre high volcano takes its name from the words mamahaw (meaning to have breakfast) and bajao (meaning left-over boiled rice) in the Visayan language. Mambajao is also the name of Camiguin's capital and the island’s largest municipality.

MT GUINSILIBAN The southernmost volcano on the island, its name originates from the old Kinamiguin word ginsil-ipan that means ‘to watch for pirates’. Sharing the name of this 571-metre volcano, Guinsiliban town was the location of the fi rst Spanish settlement on Camiguin in 1598.

MT TIMPOONG Standing at 5,294 metres, this is the tallest of all of Camiguin’s volcanoes. Timpoong comprises multiple cinder cones and peaks.

MT VULCAN Despite being called The Old Volcano, this 671-metre volcano is actually the youngest on the island. During Holy Week, pilgrims hike to its summit to visit the Stations of the Cross, which depict the 14 events leading up to the crucifi xion of Jesus Christ.

MT BUTAY Also known as Mt Uhay, this volcano stands 679 metres tall. It is located between the towns of Guinsiliban and Mahinog.

MT TRES MARIAS This 731-metre volcano has a unique structure as it consists of three identical peaks, all of diff erent heights. It takes a two-hour hike to reach the highest peak, which opens into the Itom crater.

112 NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 112 13/10/2016 10:42 AM

Captain Clarke’s canary yellow plane soars above White Island, a sandbar located to the west of Mantigue Island.

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 113 13/10/2016 10:42 AM

and disappear from every window. Somebody

is screaming and I'm pretty sure it's not Cap-

tain Clarke, which means it must be me! My

screams turn to hysterical laughter and a jolt of

adrenaline courses through me. Captain Clarke

asks how I feel and I have to resist the urge to

clap my hands and say, “Again, again!”

It's like riding a roller coaster – terrifying

and a little nauseating, but just try and stop me

from getting back on for another go! Thankful-

ly, Captain Clarke needs little encouragement

to accelerate into another move, and another

and another. And high above Camiguin's volca-

noes, I fall in love with aerobatics.

INTO THE MOUTH OF HIBOK-HIBOK-During my fl ight with Captain Clarke, Mount

Hibok-Hibok's 1,240-metre summit had been

peeking through pockets of clouds, teasing me

with its promise of glorious views. Giving in to

temptation, I decide to hike up the volcano for

a better look.

It takes between three and four hours of

steep ascent to reach the summit, and a further

hour to hike down into the crater. My guide Bae-

bot, like most guides on the island, also works

as a fi sherman and a farmer. He has lived on

Camiguin all his life and fondly calls it 'Come

Again' because, he says, “people always do.”

Coffee beans grow on the lower slopes

while palm trees are cultivated on the higher

gradients. A recent seven month drought,

followed by heavy rainfall, has grown thick

waist-high vegetation, which we wade and

scramble through to reach the summit. From

here, we observe the weather systems Captain

Clarke described in action. Clouds begin to

form around the middle of the mountain and

become denser as they rise upwards, before

breaking apart and dissolving, leaving momen-

tary glimpses of the breathtaking coastline.

As we hike down into Hibok-Hibok's crater,

Baebot tells me stories of the island’s volcanic

eruptions and the devastation wrought. My

heart rate quickens and I almost expect a fi ery

pit of boiling lava to appear below, but the

deeper we hike, the cooler and wetter it be-

comes. Farther down, we climb into the crater,

where the trail becomes steep and thick jungle

swallows us until we emerge, blinking in the

sunlight, into a large clearing.

The core of Hibok-Hibok teems with life;

here, wild guava trees grow, frogs croak and

bees thrum loudly. Baebot even points out a

tree that chirps with hundreds of yellow love

birds. Far from being the inhospitable place I

imagined it would be, the live volcano of Hibok-

Hibok is actually a rather generous host, and as

we hike out of its crater, I'm sorry that I have to

leave its tranquility.

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 114 13/10/2016 4:34 PM

and disappear from every window. Somebody

is screaming and I'm pretty sure it's not Cap-

tain Clarke, which means it must be me! My

screams turn to hysterical laughter and a jolt of

adrenaline courses through me. Captain Clarke

asks how I feel and I have to resist the urge to

clap my hands and say, “Again, again!”

It's like riding a roller coaster – terrifying

and a little nauseating, but just try and stop me

from getting back on for another go! Thankful-

ly, Captain Clarke needs little encouragement

to accelerate into another move, and another

and another. And high above Camiguin's volca-

noes, I fall in love with aerobatics.

INTO THE MOUTH OF HIBOK-HIBOK-During my fl ight with Captain Clarke, Mount

Hibok-Hibok's 1,240-metre summit had been

peeking through pockets of clouds, teasing me

with its promise of glorious views. Giving in to

temptation, I decide to hike up the volcano for

a better look.

It takes between three and four hours of

steep ascent to reach the summit, and a further

hour to hike down into the crater. My guide Bae-

bot, like most guides on the island, also works

as a fi sherman and a farmer. He has lived on

Camiguin all his life and fondly calls it 'Come

Again' because, he says, “people always do.”

Coffee beans grow on the lower slopes

while palm trees are cultivated on the higher

gradients. A recent seven month drought,

followed by heavy rainfall, has grown thick

waist-high vegetation, which we wade and

scramble through to reach the summit. From

here, we observe the weather systems Captain

Clarke described in action. Clouds begin to

form around the middle of the mountain and

become denser as they rise upwards, before

breaking apart and dissolving, leaving momen-

tary glimpses of the breathtaking coastline.

As we hike down into Hibok-Hibok's crater,

Baebot tells me stories of the island’s volcanic

eruptions and the devastation wrought. My

heart rate quickens and I almost expect a fi ery

pit of boiling lava to appear below, but the

deeper we hike, the cooler and wetter it be-

comes. Farther down, we climb into the crater,

where the trail becomes steep and thick jungle

swallows us until we emerge, blinking in the

sunlight, into a large clearing.

The core of Hibok-Hibok teems with life;

here, wild guava trees grow, frogs croak and

bees thrum loudly. Baebot even points out a

tree that chirps with hundreds of yellow love

birds. Far from being the inhospitable place I

imagined it would be, the live volcano of Hibok-

Hibok is actually a rather generous host, and as

we hike out of its crater, I'm sorry that I have to

leave its tranquility.

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 114 13/10/2016 4:34 PM

OUT OF THE ASHES… On our hike, Bae-

bot tells me that in 1948, the entire town of

Ilihan, located high on Hibok-Hibok's slopes,

was engulfed in lava and ash. All 200 of the

townspeople perished, save for one small boy

who had been sent down the mountain to buy

sardines. The volcano also claimed the lives of

3,000 others on the island.

When we return to the foot of Hibok-Hibok,

Baebot takes me to visit that lone survivor of

the 1948 eruption. Now 79, Benito Aclo lives in

a small house on the north coast of the island,

just a couple of kilometres from where we

leave our hiking trail, and still carries with him

the nickname 'Sardine Boy'. Although he says

he struggles to recall his age, he remembers

the morning Hibok-Hibok exploded like it was

yesterday. His grandson, Jerome, translates as

I ask Aclo about his experience that morning

back in 1948.

“I had 11 brothers and sisters; I was the mid-

dle child. We lived with my parents who were

farmers. I had been sent to the town at the

bottom of the mountain to buy sardines when

it happened. I knew what was going on, every-

body knew… people were panicking and it was

terrifying. I was only a boy. I instinctively tried

to return home to my family but on the way, I

met my uncle and he stopped me, saying it was

too dangerous. Even when I could see the lava

flowing everywhere, I still hoped my family

might be alive, but sadly they were all gone.”

Afterwards, Aclo's uncle took him to Davao

where he stayed until he was 16, though he still

thought of Camiguin every day and wanted to

return. When he did return, he met and fell in

love with a local girl named Gloria, and settled

down in the shadow of Hibok-Hibok. Married

for over 60 years, the couple had seven chil-

dren. Sadly, Gloria passed away earlier this

year, but Aclo keeps a lit candle by her photo-

graph in his living room.

I ask Aclo if, after all that he has been through,

he feels afraid living so close to Hibok-Hibok, but

he calmly replies, “No, I am not worried,” his face

conveying nothing but wisdom and peace.

VOLCANIC IMMERSIONS Bubbling,

steaming, fl owing and falling, Camiguin’s rich

water sources are where volcanic complexi-

ties reveal themselves. In the mountains, cold

springs and waterfalls offer bathing pools and

shady retreats from the humidity, while at

Tuasan Falls, water cascades 30 metres down

a narrow chute with a ferocity that seems to

make the air vibrate. The spray is a refreshing

hiatus from my Hibok-Hibok hike, but the roar

of the falls is a reminder not to get too close.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT

The horizon fl ips when Captain Clarke performs a Cuban Eight manoeuvre.

The distinctive mounds of Mt. Hibok-Hibok form a spectacular backdrop for Captain Clarke’s aerobatic fl ights.

Fishermen in Catarman inspect their nets. Their evening catch often includes tropical fi sh which is eaten raw on the beach.

115NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 115 13/10/2016 4:34 PM

The sunken cemetery of Old Catarman is ev-

ery underwater lover’s paradise, as snorkellers

explore the headstones submerged by Mount

Vulcan – an altogether different sort of under-

water experience. On the beach where fi sher-

men catch and eat raw fi sh – a rustic take on

the Filipino fi sh delicacy, kinilaw – I ask about

a local legend I've heard about ghosts from the

cemetery haunting the waters here. Between

fishy mouthfuls, the fishermen laugh. “Yes,”

they say, pointing to a group of snorkellers,

“there are some ghosts over there.” I'm glad to

have amused them, and it strikes me that in a

place where stories like Benito Aclo's – tales of

survival in the face of catastrophic natural di-

sasters – exist, ghost stories and superstitions

might seem foolish.

However, one story that is definitely not

a folk tale revolves around Camiguin's hot

springs, which used to draw troops of weary

hikers looking to soak their tired feet. Locals

tell me that since the devastating Bohol earth-

quake in 2013, some of the springs have gone

cold. It seems Camiguin's internal thermostat

is having a little trouble. “Nobody knows why,”

says Baebot. I ask if he thinks that perhaps, in

time, the hot springs will return to the island,

but he shrugs and sums it up perfectly, “That is

not for us to know. Only the volcanoes know.”

That's the beautiful thing about Camiguin; it

is a land governed by volcanoes. And over peo-

ple and pilots, weather and water, superstition

and ghost stories, the volcanoes will preside.

GETTING THERE AIRASIA FLIES TO CEBU AND TAGBILARAN FROM VARIOUS DESTINATIONS. www.airasia.com

WINGING ITHere are some popular aerobatic manoeuvres to look forward to on an adventure fl ight.

LOOPTHELOOP The most well-known of all aerobatic moves, a Loop-the-Loop involves accelerating, lifting the nose of the plane until it is entirely inverted, before releasing and allowing it to soar back into its original position and direction.

CUBAN EIGHT This twirly manoeurvre requires a full fi gure of eight, with a rotation in the middle. It was fi rst executed in public by pilot Len Povey, an American pilot who had served in the Cuban Air Force in the 1930s.

HAMMERHEAD After rapid vertical acceleration, the pilot stalls the plane, allowing it to turn and then free fall back into its original position. You'll feel heavy on the way up and weightless on the way back down.

AILERON ROLL As its name suggests, this manoeuvre sees the plane doing a full 360 degree revolution along its latitudinal axis.

IMMELMANN A bit like making a U-turn in a plane, the pilot accelerates, pulls the nose up until the plane is inverted before rotating the right way up and fl ying in the opposite direction. This move was named after German pilot Max Immelmann.

Tuasan Falls is a popular spot for day trippers and tourists.The powerful spray from the 30-metre drop is refreshing after a long hike.

116 NOV 2016

t360 Nov2016_061016_B_tsy.indd 116 13/10/2016 10:48 AM